CHAP. VI.
IN the year of the death of ƲVzziah, I saw the Lord sitting, &c. Some, saith Calvin, * 1.1 conjecture the Prophecy to begin here, because the Lord now first shewed him∣self unto him, which in reason should be at the first to prepare the Prophet the better to the execution of his office, and because he now first begins to trem∣ble at his Prophetical calling, being so unclean, and God so pure vers. 5. which he would doubtless have done before, had the Lord before imployed him in this work. Therefore they think, that the Prophecies preceding are set out of order. But he answereth, that Isaiah might at the first be only spoken to, and not till afterwards have a Vision, as the Apostles did see more afterwards then at the first: and having no Vision before of such astonishing glory, no mar∣vel, though he were now first stricken. And that the Prophecie began before appears, because Chap. 1. 1. he began to prophecie in the dayes of ƲVzziah, but this was after his death, a new King coming on, against the fear of whom he might he confirmed hereby to go on with courage. But how is he said to have seen the Lord, seeing he is invisible? Sol. He saw a sign of his divine Ma∣jesty, whereby he knew certainly, that God was in a special manner there: because he never sheweth any fallacious signs, as Image-makers do: his sitting upon a Throne and on high, was to set forth his royal Dignity, excelling farre that of earthly Kings. His hinder parts filled the Temple, to shew him to be that God, to whose honour the Temple was built, to cause the more awfull regard in the people to this Prophecie. Jerom here notes, that ƲVzziah was a Leper, * 1.2 and smitten with the leprosie in the Temple, whereby it was polluted. There∣fore till was dead God appeared not there any more, but now he shews [Note.] himself in such manner as best pleased him, to intimate, that a polluted King is so displeasing to God, that Gods favour is not towards his Church where he reigneth, till that by death he hath taken him away. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 fimbriae ejus, is by the LXX rendred, His glory; by Theodotion and Symmachus, Quae sub pedibus ejus erant; by Jerom, Quae sub ipso erant; he appeared then on high, and the skirts of his garments only in the Temple filling it. And this Lord was God the Son, for to him this is by John applied, saying, Isaiah spake * 1.3 of him, when he saw his glory. Thus most of the Ancients, holding that all times when God is said to appear, God the Son is meant, and those Apparitions were a Preludium of his Incarnation. Yet some understand God the Father, and some the whole Trinity, but the first is most probable. Touching the year wherein ƲVzziah died, some understand hereby the year, in which he was smit∣ten with Leprosie, because then he was dead civilly; some granting his natural death to be meant, hold yet that he was not dead when Isaiah had this Vision, but that he died in that year; but the first is best for the reason before-going; the leprous King was dead, and so Gods anger, whereunto he was stirred by him, as the head of that people, was over, and he began again to shew some token of his favour. And he appears as need then required in kingly Majesty, that the wicked who contemned his judgments might hereby be stricken with the more terrour, and so be reduced to obedience.
And Seraphims standing above, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 from above; that is, somewhat lower * 1.4 as he appointed to minister to him. Those translations therefore, which have it, above him, or above it, as the vulgar Latine, give needlesly occasion to en∣quire how it can be so said, sith the servant is not in station above his Lord or his Throne: for being rendred word for word according to the Hebrew, the sense is good and without all question, as it is here given. The Lord then ap∣pears